MN, Didn't You Mention a New Writing Project? Remember when I posted about NaNoWriMo and mentioned that I had another thing I was going to be working on (Rae @ Us in Tejas is doing NaNoWriMo, by the way - and The Grandpa)? So Thursday before this last one, it started. My new project.
What?! What Is It, Already?! I joined a writing program at my church called "Writing Your Spiritual Journey." The end goal is for us to each create a rough draft of our own spiritual autobiography by the end of the... um... seminar (? I'm at a loss for what to call it... It's not really a class...). I joined because I thought it might help me answer the question, "Why am I a UU?" but I'm not so sure it's really going to do that. So far it looks to be an exploration of our definition of "spiritual" and events in our life that we might call spiritual. What's cool is that everyone in the class seems to have a different definition of spirituality so there is bound to be some good food for thought.
Huh? So at our first meeting, the leader had us draw a picture of a place from our childhood that we considered spiritual. I drew the mulberry tree in Moomie's parents' front yard because at my grandparents' house I felt safe and free and in touch with my spiritual self. Then she gave us the assignment to write about a moment from our childhoods when we felt spiritual. It seemed like this moment might possibly have happened in the spiritual place (for lack of a better term, but you know what I mean, right?), but I couldn't think of one there (until later). The moment I have chosen to write about didn't even happen in the same state. But it was. Spiritual. And it has been followed by similar spiritual moments throughout my whole life, and when those moments are missing from my life, I don't feel quite whole.
Are You Bored Yet? I am not sure that I am going to come away from this with a "spiritual autobiography," as she claimed, because to me that should include the questions in addition to the certainties. But I think I will at least have a clearer idea of when I feel most spiritual and will be able to explain it to other people. Better than I'm doing now. Hopefully...
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5 comments:
You're explaining it pretty well.
We took the same ARE (I always wnted that to be ASE sor spiritual exploration as opposed to religious education) curriculum. I took it, actually, twice. You'll be surprised what you have at the end. Will you share with us? I hope so.
I loved that tree. Many a fine lunch hauled up on a rope in a bucket, far from the fuzzy nose of Nik (Miniature Schnauzer).
My religious experiences involved church with Moomie's parents, hair slicked back with some sort of sticky lotion, looooong talks by the minister way up at the front, I think we stayed back so he couldn't see me fidgeting, and tea with way too much sugar scalding me from my lips to my stomach.
Religion with the Grandpa's parents also involved slicked back hair, a shorter service involving some sort of involuntary trip to the front for a cheese-less cracker and warm grape juice, and lots of kneeling and arm waving.
Are UUs more relaxed?
Um, yeah, Bro. A little bit. Athough we're not allowed to eat in the sanctuary...
teehee! slicked back hair.
I think this will be a great experience for you personally and creatively. I'm excited to follow you on this journey :)
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